Dons postpone meeting with parents

Matt Murnane

A second meeting between the Essendon hierarchy and the parents of the players has been postponed until next week.

An Essendon spokesman confirmed the change of date for the meeting at the club’s Windy Hill headquarters, originally scheduled for Wednesday night and expected to provide an update on the investigation into the club’s supplement use last season.

The club said the meeting was postponed because too many parents - particularly those who live outside Melbourne - could not attend on what was short notice.

The Bombers could not confirm what day next week the meeting would be postponed to.

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The same Essendon spokesman told Fairfax Media on Tuesday that the information session would take place on Wednesday night.

’’Obviously the footy club is committed to communicating as much as we can with the parents of the players, so we will be having another information meeting about the ongoing investigation tomorrow night,’’ a club spokesman said.

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It was reported after the first meeting of parents last Monday that the club’s hierarchy had told the gathering to expect some positive news in the short-term.

It’s understood next week’s meeting will again be open to all players and their parents, including those players who were on the club’s list last year but have since left the club.

Essendon is under investigation for potentially having ’’multiple’’ players use performance-enhancing drugs in 2012. The allegations involve players possibly being administered World Anti-Doping Agency-prohibited substances without their knowledge or consent.

News of the Windy Hill meeting came on a day when the AFL Commission announced the introduction of a ’’whistleblower’’ policy to help catch drug cheats.

While the AFL could not provide any details of the policy’s framework, the league confirmed on Tuesday that a safe harbour would be established to provide a central body for players and other club officials to report drug cheats and other behaviour contrary to the game’s rules or welfare.

Despite some public misgivings aired recently by former and current footballers admitting they would struggle to dob in teammates, it’s believed the policy is likely to be welcomed by the players.

Fairfax Media reported last week that players from several clubs have already vowed internally to work to rid the game of performance-enhancing drugs.

It is believed that view has been endorsed by former Carlton captain Chris Judd, and he is one of several club leaders now firm in the belief that the game’s standing should be placed ahead of traditional loyalties.